Closest thing to HD540? Stax comes to mind.

I'm looking for a balanced DAC as front-end to a "90's hi-fi show" Krell-Wilson system. At around $500 used, the Codex seems reasonable value. I don't care for the headphone performance as I have a den or so other headphone amps but it could be useful to have a headphone socket in the lounge...

That can be so annoying! The only noise I ever had on my 2730 sounded like muffled low pitch Morse code ... RF interference of some kind I would guess. It was intermittent and mono. Since I moved my microserver further away from my media computer I haven't heard it. Maybe I just got lucky with...

Leben C300 ...

The GCHA was built before balanced headphones became a thing, so balanced refers to inputs only. Early models had only RCA, balanced XLR was added later along with power switch, two notable omissions on the first release.

Hahaha ... snap! My office system is GCHA (Gotcha as I call it) with HD600. Source is an early Modi 2 Uber which is a good step-up from the extremely crude on-board DAC in the GCHA. The amp section is truly magnificent though.

Absolutely killer amp this - I use mine daily in the office with HD600 and HE560. The DAC section is so-so (Modi 2 is a beeeg step up) but the amp is an absolute beaut that trashes all FOTM amps - you cannot fake the excellent engineering, component selection, and massively oversized power...

Frontpage worthy! Nice write up G!

I once sold my HD600's because I thought they were too similar to the HD800. I have since bought another pair or two - no collection should be without an HD600. As for possible upgrade from HD600, I rate these highly: HD800 - better detail, transparency and attack than HD600. Almost as...

May earn you some backlash, @Backsplash7 :) Honestly I havnt spent much time with the HD560 II's, and none recently. My first impressions were that they lack the transparency and delicate detail of the HD540, and the even tonality of the 600. Definiately not challenging the HD800 in any area...

Not so. The 353x is significantly better than the 252s. Notably it maintains composure much better at higher playback levels. I own both and I think the SR207 sounds better on the 353 than the L500 sounds on the 252.

Let me get this straight. Drop the fancy box, drop the balanced cable, drop the price, drop the cash and wait for a November shipment. Hell no way! May be a great second hand buy though.

There was a PDF compendium of all amp and headphone measurements in circulation a while ago. Can't seem to find it now though.

HD800 ... Add SDR mod to mimic the 540G's balance.

I've given up on finding a way to do custom EQ. So I was super happy to read this post. Except in the settings menu my EQ Setting and ATE options are greyed out. Any ideas? EDIT: this may help ... http://www.lotoo.cn/uploads/media/pmeqen.pdf

About two years ago I picked up an SRS-2170 BNIB and have been enjoying the startling realism it offers ever since ... well intermittently than continuously, as I have way too many headphones. Along the way, I also picked up a set of "New" SR3 and SRD-5. These are in need of some TLC - the...

If you buy used it does. Other than that we only know for a fact that this month's $499 FOTM sounds worse than next month's flavour ... and you just don't understand by how much .. chalk and cheese, day and night!

I picked up this one on a trip to China last year ... https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32829483819.html I had none of the major or minor problems the OP raised. The only issue I have is that the casework is made from a relatively soft grade of ali, and thus prone to scratches. And plugging in...

I've heard the Ether Flow CX on PAW 6K ... Great combination. The CX's lush and fluid character blends incredibly well with the PAW's reference tuning.

Been using the M-2 for almost a year and simply love it! However an opportunity came up to buy a Lotoo PAW 6000 and I can't keep them both. Tough decision but the M-2 needs a new home. See my ad here https://www.avforums.co.za/index.php/topic,84968.0.html

Necroposting to say I picked up a minty GCHA tonight ... It is one of the very early models with RCA line level inputs only. The amp section, while being 15 years old, has aged incredibly well. I find it quite simply the most unfatiguing amp I have heard, including some tippy top valve jobs...

https://digiphonix.home.blog/2019/05/08/volumio-primo/ Great write-up @wietschebehr !

Maybe IF is just not that important to them ... then again they may have bigger fish to fry - the ranking of their flagship Stereophile website is also slipping.